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☆ Middle Eastern investors are pouring money into US media, sports, and entertainment — here are the 9 most active players and their key leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Lucia Moses | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Investors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates are pouring money into Western media and entertainment. Sovereign funds and other entities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are pouring millions into US media and entertainment, and they're finding plenty of takers. The channels for money from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East are complex. Insider broke down the key entities — their owners, leaders, and high-profile investments and joint ventures — in the top three Middle Eastern nations pouring money into US entertainment and media. It describes itself as the largest media company in the Middle East and North Africa and runs one of the largest TV news channels, Al Arabiya.

Persons: Jamal Khashoggi's, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, —, WME, Jimmy Finkelstein's, Abu Dhabi's, It's, Yasir Al, Rumayyan, Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, Sam Barnett, Peter Smith —, Christina Wayne, SRMG, Mohammed bin Salman, Alrashid, Johnny Depp, Jeanne du Barry, Sharon Stone, Bruno Mars, Luca Guadanigno, Vince McMahon's, Turki Al, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Dayel, Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al, Mahmoud, Peter Chernin, Nasser Al, Germain, BeIN, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad, Khalifa Al, Vincent, Asghar Farhadi's Oscar, Nart Bouran, JAF, Jeff Zucker, Graydon Carter's, it's, Semafor, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mansour, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber Organizations: United, Sovereign, Saudi, Washington Post, Saudi Crown, Endeavor, UFC, IMI, Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation, Public Investment Fund, Saudi Aramco, Newcastle United, English football, PGA, MBC, Shahid, Netflix, Vice Media, Variety, MBC Group's, Antenna Group, Cineflex Studios, NBCUniversal International, Amazon, AMC, Saudi Research, Media, Publicly, Red Sea, Cannes, Penske Media Corporation, Bloomberg Media, Vince McMahon's WWE, country's General Entertainment Authority, Development, Cultural Development Fund, George Washington University, American University . Qatar Qatar Investment, Qatar Investment Authority, Providence, BeIN Media, Paris Saint, Miramax, Paramount, Doha Film, Doha Film Institute, H.E, Hollywood Reporter, United Arab Emirates Abu, Investment Authority, UAE, Abu, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Hollywood, Dubai Studio, Dubai Media City, National Geographic, BBC News, International Media Investments International Media Investments, National, CNN, Sky News Arabia, Reuters, JAF Communications, Grid, RedBird Capital Partners, Punchbowl News, New York Times, Manchester City, The, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Locations: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Saudi, East, North Africa, Al Arabiya, Netherlands, Greece, Dubai, Jeddah, SRMG, Riyadh, Doha, Europe, Americas, ViacomCBS, Qatari, Thani, Abu Dhabi

☆ Manchester City win Premier League title as Arsenal lose
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Manchester City were confirmed as Premier League champions for the fifth time in six seasons on Saturday without even having to kick a ball after second-placed Arsenal's challenge ended in defeat away at Nottingham Forest. City have now joined an elite group of clubs to win three successive English top-flight titles, with Huddersfield Town, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United the only others. "The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is," he said. That quality and consistency helps sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward." Defeat at Forest means Arsenal have won only two of their last eight matches in the league.

☆ Syria's Assad shakes hands, kisses cheeks with onetime foes at Arab League summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 19 (Reuters) - Every handshake would count, and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad had plenty of them at Friday's Arab League Summit - along with hugs and kisses - from his onetime foes in the region. As Assad lined up for the League's family photograph, he shook hands with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. One after the other, Arab leaders welcomed Syria's return to the Arab league and during his own address, Assad repeatedly said that Syria belonged to the Arab world. Syria's state news agency had reported that the Emir and Assad shook hands and spoke briefly on the sidelines before the summit began - but there was no statement on Qatari media. An Arab official told Reuters that the Emir did not hold any bilateral meetings and left the summit before Assad spoke.

☆ MLS awards expansion team to San Diego
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 18 (Reuters) - Major League Soccer (MLS) awarded its 30th team to San Diego on Thursday, with the club set to make their debut in 2025 under the ownership of entrepreneur and investor Mohamed Mansour. The team will share the new, 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium with an existing women's team, San Diego Wave of the National Women's Soccer League. "Sycuan has deep roots to the San Diego community," said Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez. "Our MLS team will provide us with a great opportunity to bring together many different segments of the community." Adding some star power to the ownership ranks is the San Diego Padres six-time All-Star Manny Machado.

☆ I had feeling Man City were ready to deliver, says Guardiola
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, England, May 17 (Reuters) - Manchester City were perfectly prepared with the right mix of calmness and tension for their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, manager Pep Guardiola said on Wednesday. "I had the feeling these last days that we had a mix of calm and tension to play these type of games," Guardiola told reporters. "And after 10 or 15 minutes, I had the feeling that all the pain that we had, what happened last season . "In sport, obviously you have another chance and when the draw was Madrid, I said, 'Yeah, I want it'," Guardiola said. "This season is really really good, what we've really done already.

☆ Man City outclass Real Madrid to reach Champions League final
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MANCHESTER, England, May 17 (Reuters) - Manchester City marched into the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons after outclassing holders Real Madrid 4-0 for a 5-1 aggregate victory at a raucous Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. With Inter Milan awaiting in the final, City will now be huge favourites to finally deliver the trophy Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour has craved since buying the club in 2008, having lost to Chelsea two years ago. Just as in the Spanish capital, City took an early stranglehold with Real barely stringing two passes together and finding it almost impossible to escape their own half. City toyed with the 14-times champions for the rest of the half and could have been further ahead. With their place in the Istanbul showpiece secured, City can win their fifth Premier League title in six seasons this weekend and they also have an FA Cup final to look forward to.

"Our commitment to Juventus is unchanged and no meetings have taken place," a spokesperson for Exor said when asked to comment by Reuters on Friday. Juventus also faces potential new penalties, including further points deductions, in a separate case over alleged irregularities in payments to players. The Agnelli family has owned the club, which it listed in 2001, almost uninterrupted since 1923. New potential co-investors could include Middle Eastern or Asian sovereign wealth funds, or U.S. funds or family offices, two sources said. Juventus ranked 11th in Deloitte's European Money League published in January, based on its annual revenue of 400 million euros in 2021/22.

☆ Zamalek withdraw from Egyptian Super Cup in protest at EFA decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAIRO, May 2 (Reuters) - Egyptian champions Zamalek said they have withdrawn from the Egyptian Super Cup match due to be played against Egypt Cup winners Al-Ahly in Abu Dhabi on Friday in protest at a string of decisions by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA). Kahraba has denied chanting anything offensive and Al-Ahly appealed the ban, which has been suspended until a local court meets on May 14 - thereby clearing the player to appear in the Super Cup. Zamalek is also angry that the EFA refused to register three of its new players in January citing overdue debts at the club, before the issue was resolved and the players were registered in February. "Zamalek board decided anonymously not to play the Egyptian Super Cup in UAE on May 5. Reporting by Osama Khairy; Additional reporting by Mohamed Yosri; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ More chaos at Egyptian champions Zamalek as club president excluded
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 17 (Reuters) - Five-time African champions Zamalek suffered another blow in a chaotic season as a local administrative court in Egypt ordered the removal of club president Mortada Mansour, days after the team appointed Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Mansour told his YouTube channel, which has more than half a million followers, "I will not talk about the ruling now because judgment is the title of truth." Mansour had previously threatened to ban a group of supporters after they arranged themselves in the shape of a giant "angry face" emoji in an eye-catching protest during an African Champions League match against Sudan's Al-Merreikh. Zamalek are fourth in the Egyptian Premier League on 39 points from 23 matches, 11 points behind leaders Al-Ahly who have played 20 games. Reporting by Osama Khairy, Additional reporting by Taha Mohamed and Mohamed Sadek Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Yemen's slide into political crisis and war
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

* 1994: Civil war in which Saleh prevents south, angered by what it sees as its lower status, from splitting with north. The Houthis seize the capital Sanaa in September 2014 with help from Saleh and demand a share of power. * 2015: Hadi tries to announce a new federal constitution opposed by the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saleh, who arrest him. He escapes, pursued by the Houthis, triggering Saudi intervention in March at the head of a military coalition. The coalition drives the Houthis and Saleh loyalists from Aden in south Yemen and from Marib, northeast of Sanaa.

☆ 9 Middle Eastern funds and investors pouring money into US media, sports, and entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Governments and investors in the Middle East are pouring money into Western media and entertainment. Sovereign funds and other entities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are pouring millions into US media and entertainment, and they're finding plenty of takers. The channels for money from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East are complex. Insider broke down the key entities — their owners, leaders, and high-profile investments and joint ventures — in the top three Middle Eastern nations pouring money into US entertainment and media. It describes itself as the largest media company in the Middle East and North Africa and runs one of the largest TV news channels, Al Arabiya.

☆ Saudi money is flowing to US media and entertainment, from Live Nation to LIV Golf, 5 years after Jamal Khashoggi's murder: 'The ice has thawed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Claire Atkinson | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

Sovereign funds and other entities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are pouring millions into US media and entertainment. Insider identified some key people connecting Middle East investors with American companies. Saudi Arabia is trying to pitch itself to the world as a cultural and economic reformer and spur tourism. Vince McMahon's WWE has a long-term partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a major live WWE event there slated for May. Vince McMahon's WWE was one of the first US companies to create unique events in Saudi Arabia.

☆ 'Angry face' emoji protest irks Egyptian club Zamalek's president
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 1 (Reuters) - Egyptian club Zamalek's president has threatened to ban a group of supporters who arranged themselves in the shape of a giant "angry face" emoji in an eye-catching protest during their African Champions League match against Sudan's Al-Merreikh. "Zamalek wears white with two red lines. Whoever wants to support us is welcome, but not in black," Zamalek president Mortada Mansour told reporters. "Those who went to the Al-Merreikh match in black will not be allowed to attend again." Reporting by Osama Khairy; Editing by Simon Jennings and Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Israeli police shoot man dead near Muslim holy site
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Israeli police stand guard near a security incident scene near Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, April 1, 2023. The incident overnight at the edge of the Al Aqsa Mosque complex, an icon of Palestinian nationalism, came at a high point of Muslim attendance for the holy month of Ramadan. The sacred site, known to Muslims as The Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, remained relatively quiet on Saturday. The slain man was identified as Mohammad Khaled al-Osaib, 26, a resident of Bedouin town Hura in south Israel. Writing by Dan Williams Editing by Chris Reese and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UAE leader breaks with tradition, appoints son as crown prince
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE leader's eldest son, is now the oil-rich Middle Eastern country's crown prince, effectively next in line for its leadership. Sheikh Tahnoon was already named chair of the $790 billion Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the emirate's main sovereign wealth fund, earlier in March. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He described the decision as "formalizing the leverage Abu Dhabi has over Dubai, and how little Dubai will be allowed to say in foreign policy." Prime Minister and Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum attends the Global Women's Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 16, 2020.

Sheikh Mohammed, who became president and Abu Dhabi ruler last year after running the U.S.-allied OPEC oil producer for years, named his brother Sheikh Mansour as UAE vice president, alongside Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This appeared to further centralise power in Abu Dhabi, which is the political capital by virtue of its immense oil wealth, of the UAE federation of seven emirates. Abu Dhabi has held the presidency since the founding of the UAE federation by Sheikh Mohammed's father in 1971. Sheikh Mohammed, known as MbZ, had been grooming his son in positions of authority in security - including intelligence - economy and governance, analysts say. Earlier this month, Sheikh Tahnoun was named chair of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, among the world's largest sovereign wealth funds.

☆ Israeli strike hits near Aleppo airport - Syrian officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMMAN March 22 (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike hit near Syria's Aleppo airport early Wednesday, causing "material damage" and shutting down operations there, Syrian officials said, while regional intelligence sources said the attack hit an Iranian arms depot. In the third attack on Aleppo airport in six months, Israel launched "a number of missiles from the Mediterranean Sea, west of the coastal city of Latakia, at 3:55 a.m.", the Syrian defence ministry said in a statement on state media. Two regional intelligence sources said the strike hit an underground munitions depot linked to the nearby Nairab military airport, where missile systems delivered on several Iranian military planes had been stored. Nairab military airport has been used regularly for Iranian arms deliveries and the movement of troops, the intelligence sources said. An Israeli strike on March 7 that knocked Aleppo airport out of service blew up an Iranian arms cargo shipment hours after it was delivered by a plane that Damascus said was carrying aid, the Western intelligence sources say.

☆ Abu Dhabi shakes up wealth funds with top royals chairing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Yousef Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, March 9 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi announced a reshuffle at the top of its two biggest sovereign wealth funds on Thursday, appointing senior members of the royal family as chairmen. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, one of the most powerful members of Abu Dhabi's royal family, was named chair of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), among the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, the government's media office said. ADIA is estimated by Global SWF to manage $993 billion in assets, while the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute puts the figure at $790 billion. The wealth fund's last chairman was the previous UAE president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who died last year. MORE NEWCOMERSThe UAE president is appointing his brothers as chairmen at state sovereign wealth funds rather than chairing them himself.

☆ Two Israels face off as justice overhaul deepens the divide
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

For them, weakening the Supreme Court would undermine the bedrock of Israel's democracy and could set the country on the path to becoming a corrupt and religiously coercive state. In 2020, the Supreme Court struck down a law that had retroactively legalised homes built by settlers on land owned by Palestinians, like Amona. Settlers driven by ideology see themselves as pioneers redeeming land that was promised by God and many feel betrayed by Supreme Court rulings against settlements. The Supreme Court did not respond to a request for comment. "The Supreme Court has challenged parliament time and again, playing politics, not nicely."

☆ UN Security Council denounces Israel in statement after US showdown averted
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The Security Council reiterates that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperiling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines," the council said in the statement. "The Security Council expresses deep concern and dismay with Israel's announcement on February 12." Resolutions need nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Russia, China, France or Britain to be adopted. Netanyahu's office described the Security Council statement on Monday as "one-sided" and criticized the United States for supporting it, adding: "The statement should not have been made and the United States should not have joined it." Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council that the United States opposes Israel's Feb. 12 settlement plans.

☆ After devastating quake, thousands of Syrians return home to war zone
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Khalil Ashawi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"I haven't seen my family for four years, as I live alone in Turkey," Qramo said after crossing into Syria. Qramo, who had been living in the city of Gaziantep, said people were staying in tents in the cold and rain. In Gaziantep, Qramo said police had moved Syrians out of a mosque where they were sheltering to make way for Turkish families. Several Turks in other quake-hit towns and cities have accused Syrians of robbing damaged shops and homes. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck before dawn 11 days ago, killing more than 38,000 people in Turkey and 5,800 in Syria.

He added that a government committee was looking into adding secular subjects to madrasas alongside religious study, a development that hasn't been previously reported. Other students and teachers said Islamic education played an important role in their lives, though they hoped to be able to study secular subjects too. He didn't elaborate on the government's plans for religious schools. Reuters was unable to determine the current number of madrasas, and Taliban authorities have not provided figures. "There's deep-seated mistrust of the formal education sector, despite the fact that it too incorporates Islamic education."

☆ Defiant Man City see off Villa to close gap on Arsenal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, England, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Manchester City produced a defiant response to the Premier League's charge sheet as they comfortably beat Aston Villa 3-1 to close to within three points of leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Goals by Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez put the result beyond doubt by halftime as City got back on track following last weekend's loss at Tottenham Hotspur. Villa were left with mission impossible when Mahrez tucked away a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Jacob Ramsey was adjudged to have tripped former Villa player Jack Grealish. Champions City have 48 points from 22 games to Arsenal's 51 from 21 and can go top if they win at Arsenal on Wednesday. "It was a bad result, but we have to learn and use it in the next matches."

☆ Soccer’s Premier League accuses Manchester City of breaching financial rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, on September 14, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. The Premier League has referred the club to an enquiry over an alleged breach of financial rules. LONDON — The English Premier League on Monday announced it has referred soccer club Manchester City to an independent commission over alleged breaches of its financial rules. A commission will be held in private, with members appointed by the chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel. A spokesperson for Manchester City was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

[1/5] Nurses attend to Ayoub Jabri, who suffers from neck cancer, at the emergency ward of the National Oncology Center in Sanaa, Yemen January 10, 2023. "He is getting worse," said Jabri breaking down in tears as he stood by the bed where Ayoub, who began treatment for neck cancer three years ago, received an intravenous drip. The NOC in Sanaa is funded by the de facto Houthi authorities in North Yemen. He said the centre listed some 130 cancer drugs as crucial but that only around 50% are available. The Houthi movement blames the Saudi-led coalition and the sea and air blockade for the shortage of medical and other supplies such as fuel.

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